From the monthly archives:

January 2012

CLASS WARFARE: the struggle for political and economic power carried on between capitalists and workers.

January 31, 2012

The term class warfare is actually a term created by Karl Marx and used by Marxists to describe the way in which the elite pound on the lower classes in society.  It is amusing, therefore, to find the words being used in today’s political dialogue by Republicans (primarily) to describe the way in which they [...]

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HARMONIC: compatible elements

January 30, 2012

Boy, this was a tough one.  If you were to take the time to look up the word harmonic in the dictionary (it doesn’t matter which one) you’d probably be overwhelmed by the scientific explanation of this phenomenon.   It has to do with the falling into place of elements of physics which are compatible.   But [...]

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INDIVIDUATION: the process of learning how to stand apart from the crowd and be one’s true self

January 29, 2012

It’s a strange cycle when you come to think about it.   A baby is born as a solitary being.   In fact, some child psychologists and theologians have said that a newborn baby is the most selfish being in existence.  It is totally dependent upon others for its existence and demands care.  That’s not a judgment [...]

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PHYSIATRIST: an M.D. who specializes in spinal issues … without surgery

January 28, 2012

I have a serious back problem.   Local doctors and those at the clinic I attend in Boston are pretty consistent in terms of their analysis of the problem.   It was while I was being seen at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston that one of the doctors suggested I see a physiatrist. [phi-ZAHY-uh-trist] At first [...]

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METAMFIEZOMAIOPHOBIA: the fear of mimes, clowns, and people in disguise

January 27, 2012

We’re all aware of various phobias which affect people.  Some people are frightened by dogs, snakes, height, crowds or small enclosures.   There is plenty reported about these phobias, and they common themes in literature, drama and movies.  I can identify with a couple of them and you may also. But when I stumbled across the [...]

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DOPPELGANGER: ghost-like apparition of one’s “other self”

January 26, 2012

In common parlance a doppelganger is a person who is so identical in looks to another person (think Tina Fey/Sarah Palin) that it is uncanny.   I have a friend  who looks so much like me that we are frequently confused by people.  We both go to the same coffee shop so it happens all the [...]

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STRIVEN: to have pursued something with energy and tenacity

January 25, 2012

The marathon runner crossing the finish line is the most vivid illustration of someone who has striven.  After months and months of training and preparation, the runner puts the last effort of a 26.2 mile, grueling race behind (him) and thrusts his body across the line, sometimes collapsing, having given his last ounce of energy [...]

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PRESIDENTIAL: having the demeanor one expects in a U.S. President

January 24, 2012

I forced myself to watch the Republican Debate from Tampa last night.  It wasn’t quite the circus it’s been with a stageful of potential candidates.  Now that it’s down to two major contenders and two pretenders it’s a more manageable scene.  That’s not to discount the importance of Ron Paul and Rick Santorum, who I [...]

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PLURALIA TANTUM NOUNS: nouns that don’t have a singular form

January 23, 2012

Did you ever see a trouser?  Or a scissor?   Those are words that only appear in the English language (as nouns) in the plural form.   There is no singular form for them.  It is a phenomenon known in linguistics as pluralia tantum, a Latin term which means “plurals only.” It is one of those interesting [...]

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CULL: to remove flawed or unwanted items

January 22, 2012

In the past few days Republicans have been said to be about the process of  culling the ranks of prospective candidates for their nominee for President.   It may well describe the process of sorting out the field, but I doubt that cull is a good word to describe the process. Cull is a term used [...]

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